When did you last read a Bond novel, or are you reading one now?

chrisisall

I read all the Fleming novels in the late Eighties, my hazy memory is that Moonraker thrilled me the most. I plan to read them all again soon, but in the mean time I'm reading Christopher Wood's novelization of TSWLM. Wow, so similar to the movie yet so much like a Fleming book! Makes the movie seem like a cartoon by comparison...
I'm LIKIN' it! -{

James Suzuki

I've got in the habit of buying a lot of them and got getting around to reading them, Iv'e owned and read Moonraker (fleming), Goldfinger, For special services and license renewed. I own but haven't got around to read license to Kill Novelization and Colonel Sun. I just bought James Bond and Moonraker by Christopher Wood, i am very excited in reading it but I'm in the middle of OHMSS then YOLT which I got from the local library.

chrisisall

xboy614 wrote:

I own but haven't got around to read license to Kill Novelization and Colonel Sun.

Colonal Sun was very good IMO!

James Suzuki

Cool, I look forward to probably reading it after Moonraker, that will be about December though. Would I be correct in saying that Kingsley Amis writing style is the closests to Fleming out of all the contuination authors?

chrisisall

xboy614 wrote:

Would I be correct in saying that Kingsley Amis writing style is the closests to Fleming out of all the contuination authors?

IMO, Amis & Christopher Wood are both the best in that regard, but honestly, no one can write like Fleming...

Muston

Having read all of Fleming's years ago, I never really thought about Bond in literature until I read Faulks' Devil May Care when it came out, which didn't make me want to go out and find more Bond continuation works. I then got into Ludlum's Bourne books (which I have to say I do love) but last year against my better judgment I read Jeff Deaver's effort. Not sure about what others think but I hated Deaver's Bond and really don't think Bond in moden day works in a novel. However, with watching Skyfall I'm really up again for reading more Bond so I have bought Colonel Sun on my Kindle. I am also planning on buying James Gardner's first Bond book to see what it's like.

chrisisall

Muston wrote:

However, with watching Skyfall I'm really up again for reading more Bond so I have bought Colonel Sun on my Kindle. I am also planning on buying James Gardner's first Bond book to see what it's like.

I liked Colonel Sun quite a bit, it's not Fleming, but it's plain to see the writer is a fan- and I'll be starting Gardner's first book soon myself!
Welcome aboard!!

The Domino Effect

I finished Colonel Sun for the first time a couple of months ago and loved it. By far the closest in style to Fleming's work (although I must confess to never having read anything of Wood or Benson). I re-read the original Fleming books last year in chronological order and loved them all over again. I suspect I will be re-reading them every 5 years or so as for the most part, they really are that good! They also make great holiday reading. I read Gardner's novels when they were first published and enjoyed them, although haven't re-visited them since. I rather enjoyed Faulks contribution and agree with Muston's comment that Bond works best when not set in the present day, but was rather disappointed with Deaver's contribution to the series.

Muston

Cheers Chrisisall.

I think I tried to read a Benson Bond about 12 years ago but I put it down after about 60 pages because it was just filled with daft gadgets. Looking forward to Amis' as at least the guy was a 'respected' writer. By the way, has anyone read Gardner's Boysie Oakes novel's? If so are they worth reading?

BRIXMIS

Reading From Russia with Love again, after reading them all first in the 70's as a teenager, and re-read most of them since. They really stack up well as a good thriller and dont appear dated to me. To be honest, I'm more of a literary Bond fan, as opposed to a film fan. Haven't seen many of the Brosnan era fils. In fact, watched DAD last night and thought it dated and mediocre. CR and Daniel Craigs Bond portrayal got me into the films again, after not really enjoying the films after Connery. Booked in to see Skyfall with my son and daughter on Saturday night, really looking forward to it.

chrisisall

BRIXMIS wrote:

Haven't seen many of the Brosnan era fils. In fact, watched DAD last night and thought it dated and mediocre. CR and Daniel Craigs Bond portrayal got me into the films again, after not really enjoying the films after Connery.

Oh, you should give Timothy Dalton's two a chance then, they are the most like Fleming's Bond IMO!

Muston

chrisisall wrote:

BRIXMIS wrote:

Haven't seen many of the Brosnan era fils. In fact, watched DAD last night and thought it dated and mediocre. CR and Daniel Craigs Bond portrayal got me into the films again, after not really enjoying the films after Connery.

Oh, you should give Timothy Dalton's two a chance then, they are the most like Fleming's Bond IMO!

Agree 100% with that. Dalton is my fav Bond and Licence To Kill is I think the most underrated of the franchise so far.

chrisisall

Muston wrote:

Agree 100% with that. Dalton is my fav Bond and Licence To Kill is I think the most underrated of the franchise so far.

LOL, when I read the books, I see Dalton!

Muston

Agree :007)

Peppermill

I'm reading Devil May Care at the moment. I bought it when it came out but never finished it. So I'm giving it a second try. The same goes for Carte Blanche that Ill try to start when I finished DMC.

ben1971

Muston, yes Gardner's Boysie Oakes novel's are worth reading - not worn quite so well with age - he started them as a kind of anti Bond hitman for hire -it was difficult to track down all the books and short stories before the advent of www but you should be able to find them in this modern age.

chrisisall

Welcome Ben!
So.... what's your favourite Gardner Bond novel?

ben1971

for me has to be ICEBREAKER - it was the first non fleming book I read and at the time was quite impressed with the uk cover - a skull with the letters of the title in metalic shiny ice blue - just reminds me of my youth - still have that edition

chrisisall

ben1971 wrote:

for me has to be ICEBREAKER

Cool! I will be reading that in time, after his first two!

Asp9mm

I'm just re-reading Thunderball again. Ain't Kindle great for us travelling folks.

chrisisall

Asp9mm wrote:

I'm just re-reading Thunderball again. Ain't Kindle great for us travelling folks.

Thunderball rocked IMO. And Moonraker. -{

chrisisall

Well I just finished Christopher Wood's novelization of TSWLM, and it was a good read. I liked his style, very Flemingesque, and he kept it all moving very well. The changes from what ended up onscreen were mainly good, although I prefer Stromberg's demise in the movie. Overall a worthy book for any Bond fan, though I will admit that i was seeing some scenes from the movie in my head towards the end... I rarely read novelizations of movies because, well, there's the MOVIE to watch, but this was different enough in tone and some details that I can recommend it.

Now on to License Renewed...

Peppermill

I haven't read the Christopher Wood novelizations because they are very hard to find in English over here. Once in a while a Dutch version pops up at auction sites but I rather read them in their original language. I've heard many good things about them, they appear to be better than the Benson novelizations according to some people.

It has been a long time since I actually read a Fleming novel because I've read them quite a few times and also have the audiobooks. I've just ordered 2 Gadner books that I haven't read yet. I liked the first few Gardners, so I hope these will be good as well.

PS. Thunderball is a great book, too bad it gave EON and Fleming so many problems. Moonraker is great too, very different from the other ones IMHO.

chrisisall

Peppermill wrote:

Moonraker is great too, very different from the other ones IMHO.

I think that's my favourite Fleming book. OHMSS was the most personally involving, though.

chrisisall

Hey, I just discovered these two three-part Bond comics/graphic novels!!!


These next, THEN Gardner!

Muston

chrisisall wrote:

Peppermill wrote:

Moonraker is great too, very different from the other ones IMHO.

I think that's my favourite Fleming book. OHMSS was the most personally involving, though.

Also remember really enjoying Moonraker. Only ever read it the once though. Probably should read it again soon. My fav four Fleming books were

Casino Royale
Moonraker
OHMSS
You Only Live Twice.

chrisisall

chrisisall wrote:

I just finished the Mike Grell "Permission To Die' and it was pretty good- lagged a bit in part 2, but in the end I'd say it was a good read! Lightweight/serious- kind of like if Dalton starred in TSWLM.

Barbel

Muston wrote:

By the way, has anyone read Gardner's Boysie Oakes novel's? If so are they worth reading?

I read them years ago, then again recently. Lightweight but fun. My favourite was "Traitor's Exit".

Bondwise, I'm currently reading "Hurricane Gold"- not my favurite of the Higson series, at least so far.

FelixLeiter ♀

I've only read some of Fleming's novels once about 7 years ago, although I've been determined over the past few months to try and re-read them and finish those I never read.
One of my main reasons is that I don't remember hardly anything about them. I remember loving Live and Let Die though.

BluntInstrument

Currently re-working my way through Fleming (again), having originally devoured them all as a teenager back in the 80's. Am about to start on FRWL - my absolute favourite Fleming Bond novel.

I have read all of Gardner's continuation novels - IMHO the quality dropped off towards the end of Gardner's run, but the first three - Licence Renewed, For Special Services and Icebreaker - are terrific entertainment.

Haven't read Colonel Sun in a long time either, but I do remember it as a hard-edged, rather brutal thriller, and far superior to Sebastian Faulks's rather poor Devil May Care.

I read Benson's Zero Minus Ten when it first came out, and found it passable, but haven't bothered with any of his other Bond stuff. Likewise with Charlie Higson - SilverFin = good, the rest = a bit meh.

I also remember reading Christopher Woods's adaptations of TSWLM and MR in the late 80's, and finding them - to my surprise - to be pretty close to Fleming in tone and style.

welshboy78

Im actually on FRWL now!